16 major NYC hotels pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent or more by 2025

It’s not quite a Christmas miracle, but we’ll take it. A number of big name hotels in the city have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 percent over the next 10 years. Over 80 percent of the city’s emissions come from large buildings, so the initiative represents a significant step forward in the fight against climate change. The cuts are part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s NYC Carbon Challenge program, which will see all of the city’s public buildings get eco-friendly retrofits by 2025. The Waldorf Astoria New York, Lotte New York Palace, and the Crowne Plaza Times Square are among 16 major hotels where owners have agreed to make cuts in the interest of climate change.

The mayor announced today that 16 major hotels will be joining in the effort to reduce the city’s carbon footprint over the next 10 years. “Whether we’re talking about universities, hospitals, and offices, or large apartment buildings and hotels, all of New York City has a stake in our fight against climate change,” said Mayor de Blasio in a statement. “If some of New York’s most iconic hotels can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, anyone can. NYC Carbon Challenge participants are joining City government in leading by example through the green retrofits all buildings should make – and that’s no small feat, with current Challenge commitments equivalent to removing over 100,000 cars from our roads.”

The participating hotels include: 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, 1 Hotel Central Park, Crowne Plaza Times Square, Dream Downtown, Grand Hyatt New York, Hotel Pennsylvania, Hudson Hotel, Loews Regency Hotel, Lotte New York Palace, The Pierre – A Taj Hotel, The Peninsula New York, InterContinental New York Barclay, InterContinental New York Times Square, Roger Smith Hotel, the Waldorf Astoria New York, and the Westin New York at Times Square. These properties comprise almost 10 million square feet in total. The mayor’s office timed the announcement to coincide with the holiday season, since New York is such a popular destination for travelers during this time of the year.